Method and device for enhancing accuracy of voice control with image characteristic

ABSTRACT

A method and device for enhancing the accuracy of voice control with checking a real-time image characteristics while it is captured from the scene. Such a method and device are much suitable for using in so-called digital camera, digital camcorder and also for camera mobile phone, to perform a remote control via some verbal instructions which may utter by an operator. The method includes a step (a) to receive a verbal instruction to check its character with a voice character memory unit, to look out all of the related voice commands from a voice command unit, and to form those related voice commands as a voice command set; a step (b) to take a real-time image from the scene via a image captruing unit, and to use the character of the real-time image to compare with an image characteristic memory unit; a step (c) to use the result of the step (b) to find out a most reasonable voice command from the voice command set of step (a); and a step (d) to perform the most reasonable voice command of step (c). The method provided above can improve the accuracy of the voice control and may avoid some of the unexpected wrong response of the voice control in such a device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and device for enhancing accuracy of voice control with image characteristic; more particularly, to the commands of checking image characteristics and which are reasonable for enhancing the accuracy of voice control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the past, the facilities such as digital camera, audio or camcorder are controlled via either its control buttons or a remote controller. The operator can manipulate by simply pressing the control buttons on the remote controller without touching said facilities. However, it would be inconvenience and troublesome if the operator can not get or find the remote controller anywhere while using those facilities.

The newly verbal control technique enables the operator to remote manipulation the facilities without using a remote controller. The principle is to receive operator's verbal instructions by a receiving device, such as a microphone; after analyzing the character of the verbal instructions, a related command selected from a voice command unit is performed. The speech recognition technique has been developed for years, and the related patents of said technique are applied constantly whether domestic or abroad.

An example of US Pub. No. US2005/0071169A1 to Steinbiss et al, the inventors of said invention consider the spoken speeds from different operators would be varied, and in order to make sure the verbal command is received completely, the inventors put a delay of time between the start of execution and the receiving completion. The concept of time axle is brought by said invention, but still involving in dealing with the voice information.

A further example of US Pub. No. US2005/0105575A1 to Kim et al, the consideration of this invention is about different facilities might be responded by single verbal command, and causing unexpected faults and chaos. The solution indicated by the inventors is that every remote controlled device should be provided with a camera and a microphone, but the purpose for said extra equipments are just for detecting whether the operator send out its command to a certain device or not and which enables to avoid said chaos. Said invention is different to the present invention of enhancing the accuracy of voice recognition.

Moreover, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,625B1 to Kapitza et al, is disclosed a compact video microscope, although the microscope is also provided with a microphone and a image captured device, the image captured device is for video function, and the microphone is simply for sound recording or voice control. There is no further illustration for improving voice control which is using image information and so as no expand on using voice to control video microscope.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,140B1 to Oliver et al, also disclosed the voice control technique which can apply on an image captured device that provides a recognition method of voice commands and hardware structure to enable the performance. A forward invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,762,692B1 to Mingot et al, provides similar method which helps the operator to read predetermined command word to control the device by appearing voice command tree on the screen. Obviously, these two inventions have no relation to the on voice control recognition by image auxiliary.

Aforementioned prior arts of voice recognition system are most only by collecting voices, analyzing character of the voices and then finding related voice command from a voice character memory unit. But the conditions of voice recognition would change easily under different circumstances of people or place such as the different accent or speak speed of the operator or the whole environment at that time. For those complicated reasons, it is a big challenge for developing and enhancing the recognition of voice control. Enhancing recognition of voice control is present a goal of research and develop of every company in competition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to proceed an image double checking procedure into the process of recognizing the voice command in order to raising accuracy of voice control.

In the case of said purpose, the present invention brings up a method and device of using image character to assist the voice command unit. The feature of the present invention is that the device is equipped with a voice character memory unit, a voice command unit and an image characteristic memory unit inside the device for remote operation, and the method includes a step (a) to receive a verbal instruction to check its character with a voice character memory unit, to look out all of the related voice commands from a voice command unit, and to form those related voice commands as a voice command set; a step (b) to take a real-time image from the scene via a image capturing device, and to use the character of the real-time image to compare with an image characteristic memory unit; a step (c) to use the result of the step (b) to find out a most reasonable voice command from the voice command set of step (a); and a step (d) to perform the most reasonable voice command of step (c). The method provided above can improve the accuracy of the voice control and may avoid some of the unexpected false response of the voice control in such a device.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a device for enhancing accuracy of voice control with characteristic of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a method for enhancing accuracy of voice control with characteristic of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram variation of a method for enhancing accuracy of voice control with characteristic of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To better understand to the purposes, benefits and features of the present invention, the preferred embodiment of the present is disclosed for further illustration accompanied with the drawings below:

Referring to FIG. 1 of the preferred embodiment of the image capturing device (10) includes and consist of a lens module (11), a image sensor module (12), a image processing device (13), a screen (14), a database module (15), a memory unit (16), a processor unit (17), a transmitting media (18), a control button (19), a microphone (20) and a voice recognition device (21), wherein the microphone (20) receives the verbal instruction, and the lens module takes optic images. The optic images then transformed into digital images via the image sensor module (12). After being processed by image processing device, the digital images appear on the screen (14) and be saved in the database module (15) and the memory unit (16). Upon operating, input the command through the control button (19) and the voice recognition device to the processor unit (17), implementing filming, recording, browsing, adding or deleting the files and/or transmitting. The transmitting media (18) can be the Transmitter module in general, and/or the Bluetooth module, USB port, 1394 port or Optical fiber port that are connected to a computer, a mobile phone or other audio/video facilities; and save the voice recognition device (21), other components of the image capturing device are same to the prior arts and no need to give details.

The voice recognition device (21) includes a voice character memory unit (21A), a image characteristic memory unit (21B) and a voice command unit 21C), wherein the commands of the voice command unit (21C) are corresponded to the voice character memory unit (21A) and the image characteristic memory unit (21B). The verbal instruction is received via the microphone (20) and checked by the voice character memory unit (21A) whereby the command is found with the character which can respond to the instruction from the voice command unit (21C). Owning to the different voice speed, pitch, volume or ascent of different people, false decision could be made if chooses only one of above reasons. To loosen the contrast conditions and select the commands which relate to the voice character together, therefore, a command set is formed by such commands.

Upon taking the optics image by the lens module (11), a real-time image signal is produced via the image sensor module (12) and the image processing device (13) in order to reflect the circumstance of locale at that time. The voice recognition device (21) then compares the character of the image signal with and via the image memory unit (21B) to get a result from comparison. The result is re-checked or sifted out the command set selected via the voice command unit (21C), and a most reasonable command is determined. The most reasonable command is then performed by the processor unit (17). The so-called image signal character is including but without the limitation of the brightness and the figure outlines which have been measured, such as the brightness of the locale reflected by the voice recognition device (21) according to the image, the determination of the voice command of ISO value whether the operator intends to adjust it higher or lower, or the position decided according to the figure outline of human in order to focus a camera by adjusting the image.

The corresponding between the image memory unit (21B) and the voice command unit (21C) can be pre-recorded during assembly as using different definition of the image character to correspond to the different command set. Of course, the corresponding of the image memory unit (21B) and the voice command unit (21C) can be modified after sold to the operator regarding its profession or special purpose to do further editing, adding or deleting.

The commands of the voice command unit (21C) can be pre-recorded upon assembly. Such as setting a 1^(st) voice command set of browse which can include the command of “save”, “delete”, “zoom out”, “zoom in”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, “send”, or “send all” and so on.

The voice command unit (21C) as the preferred embodiment of this invention can also include a 2^(nd) command set of focusing upon taking image, such as the commands of focusing the human face including the remote voice command of “on face”, “left” of moving the focus towards left, “right” of moving the focus towards right, “up” of moving the focus upward or “down” of moving the focus downward and so on.

Further more, the voice command unit (21C) as the preferred embodiment of this invention can further include a 3^(rd) command set of ISO value adjusting such as the command of “up” of insufficient brightness, “down” of exceeding brightness, “on” for turning the flashlight, “up” for enhancing the brightness of the flashlight, or “down” for reducing the brightness of the flashlight and so on.

Referring to the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a method for enhancing accuracy of voice control with image characteristic of preferred embodiment of this invention has following steps of:

(a) receiving a verbal instruction via a voice receiving device, the character of said verbal instruction is compared with and to a voice character memory unit, whereby looking out all the related commands which are correspond to the character of said verbal command from a voice command unit, then collect those commands as a command set;

(b) taking a real-time image via a image capturing device, and checking said image with a image characteristic memory unit;

(c) selecting a most reasonable command from the command set according to the compared result from the image characteristic memory unit; and

(d) performing the most reasonable command.

Such method for enhancing accuracy of voice control with image characteristic can not only enhancing accuracy of voice control but also reducing the false from operation.

Wherein the voice receiving device of step (a) can be realized as the microphone (20) of FIG. 1. Looking out the corresponding voice character from the voice character memory unit (21A) after receiving the verbal instruction, therefore, a command corresponding to said character can be looked out from the voice command unit (21C), for example, when receiving the voice of “up”, the same voice command might be found either the in the 1^(st) command set of browse or the 2^(nd) command set of focusing or the 3^(rd) command set of ISO value adjusting. The step is collecting the related commands which are selected.

The image capturing device can be realized as the image processor device (13) as FIG. 1 according to the step (b) and (c). A character of real-time image is produced by the image processor device (13) and the character is then compared with the image characteristic memory unit (21B) in order to find out a most reasonable voice command from the voice command set. For example, when the comparison result from the image characteristic memory unit (21B) shows no further input of new image, then it can be assumed that the operator is browsing the image, therefore, the voice command of “up” must be the “upper part image browsing” of the 1^(st) command set; and when the result is the insufficient brightness with new input image, then the voice command can be assumed as the “enhancing ISO value” of the 3^(rd) command set; and if the result is “input of new image with sufficient brightness”, then the voice command can be presumed as “moving upward the focus” of 2^(nd) command set.

It is easy for a person having ordinary skill in this art to infer other variations from above illustrations and embodiments, and may be adjusted further according the demand and preference of different consumer categories. For example, too many voice commands would confuse the customer with bad memory and may not be acceptable. The designer should do it's best to reduce the number of the voice commands. Nevertheless, the definition can not be pre-determined if reduce too many voice commands. Therefore, a further embodiment according to FIG. 3 is as the following steps of:

(a) receiving a verbal instruction via a receiving device and using the character of the verbal instruction to check with a voice character memory unit, whereby looking out all the commands related to said character from a command set correspond to the voice character memory unit and collecting those commands as a command set;

(b) taking a real-time image via a image capturing device, and checking said image with a image characteristic memory unit;

(c1) picking reasonable commands from the command set according to the search result from the image characteristic memory unit;

(c2) providing the operator to choose a command by showing those reasonable commands on a screen; and

(d1) performing the command chosen by the operator.

Although the embodiment of FIG. 3 requiring the operator to choose the commands they need by uttering verbal instructions at the final, the step (c1) has selected a more reasonable command set by using the image character and the step (c2) further selecting and showing the line of the command set on the screen (can be realized as the screen (14) of FIG. 1). This operation method is benefit to the operator who is forgetfulness since the operator can read the command they need by watching the screen and which is a relief to them.

The method provided above can improve the accuracy of the voice control and may avoid some false responses of the remote voice control in such a device.

The advantages of this invention than the prior arts includes:

1. Such as the method of using the character of real-time image to compare with the image characteristic memory unit can further selecting or re-checking the voice commands which has been selected according to the locale circumstance at that time, therefore, the most or most likely reasonable commands can be sifted out and enhancing the accuracy of voice control.

2. Since the digital camera has the functions of image capturing and processing, there is not need to add extra cost of hardware to this invention; that is to say, the application to digital camera of this invention would only need to add a voice character memory unit, an image characteristic memory unit, a related command set and software to enhance the accuracy of voice remote control.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. 

1. A device for enhancing the accuracy of voice control with image characteristic comprising an image capturing device which is provided with a voice recognition device to perform a remote control via some verbal instructions which may utter by an operator and receive by a receiving device; said voice recognition device includes a voice command unit which saves plural voice commands for a operator to manipulate the image capturing device a voice character memory unit which saves a plurality of voice characteristics for corresponding to the voice command unit, whereby looking out the commands to conform to the voice characteristics and to form a voice command set; and a image character memory unit which saves a plurality of image characteristics and corresponds to the voice commands of the voice command set.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device includes a lens module, an image sensor module, an image processing device and a processor unit, to use the image sensor module to transfer a light captured by the lens module into an image, and to use the image processing device which provides a real-time image characteristic to check with the image characteristic memory unit, thereby a command is selected from the command set by comparing with the above checking result and executed by the processor unit.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the receiving device is a microphone.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device can be either a digital camera, a digital camcorder or a camera mobile phone.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the voice command unit includes a command for moving the focus while taking an images.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the image characteristic memory unit includes the characteristics for checking brightness sufficiency, and the voice command unit including at least one command corresponding to the images.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the voice command unit includes a commands of “up” for increasing ISO value upon insufficient brightness and “down” for reducing ISO value upon exceeding brightness.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the voice command unit includes the remote voice commands of “on” for opening the flashlight, “up” for increasing brightness of flashlight and “down” for reducing brightness of flashlight etc.
 9. A method for enhancing accuracy of voice control with image characteristic comprising a manipulation of an image capturing device which is provided with a voice recognition device and to perform a remote control via some verbal instructions which may utter by an operator and receive by a receiving device; said voice recognition device includes a voice character memory unit, an image characteristic memory unit and a voice command unit, said method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a verbal instruction via a receiving device and using the character of the verbal instruction to check with a voice character memory unit, whereby looking out all the commands related to said character from a command set corresponding to the voice character memory unit and collecting those commands as a command set; (b) taking a real-time image via the image capturing device, and checking said image with a image characteristic memory unit; (c) selecting a most reasonable command from the command set according to the compared result from the image characteristic memory unit; and (d) executing the most reasonable command.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the image captruing device includes a lens module, a image sensor module, a image processing device and a processor unit to use the image sensor module to transfer the light captured by the lens module into an image, and to use the image processing device which provides a real-time image character to check with the image characteristic memory unit.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the image capturing devide is select from digital camera, digital camcorder and camera mobile phone.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice command unit includes a command for moving the focus while taking images.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the image characteristic memory unit includes the characteristics for checking brightness sufficiency, and the voice command unit including at least one command corresponding to the images.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice command unit includes a commands of “up” for increasing ISO value upon insufficient brightness and “down” for reducing ISO value upon exceeding brightness.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the voice command unit includes a remote voice commands of “on” for opening the flashlight, “up” for increasing brightness of flashlight and “down” for reducing brightness of flashlight etc.
 16. A method for enhancing accuracy of voice control with image characteristic consists of an image capturing device which is provided with a voice recognition device and to perform a remote control via some verbal instructions which may utter by an operator and receive by a receiving device; said voice recognition device includes a voice character memory unit, an image characteristic memory unit and a voice command unit, said method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a verbal instruction via a receiving device and using the character of the verbal instruction to check with a voice character memory unit, whereby looking out all the commands related to said character from a command set correspond to the voice character memory unit and collecting those commands as a command set; (b) taking a real-time image via the image capturing device, and checking said image with a image characteristic memory unit; (c1) picking the most reasonable commands from the command set according to the search result from the image characteristic memory unit; (c2) providing the operator to choose a command by showing those reasonable commands on a screen; and (d1) performing the command chosen by the operator.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the image captruing device includes a lens module, a image sensor module, a image processing device and a processor unit to use the image sensor module to turn the light beams captured by the lens module into an image, and to use the image processing device which provides a real-time image character to check with the image characteristic memory unit.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the image capturing devide can be either a digital camera, a digital camcorder or a camera mobile phone. 